Captain's apparent suicide stuns S.F. cops

Jim Herron Zamora, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, May 8, 1997

1997-05-08 04:00:00 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The apparent suicide of San Francisco police Capt. Thomas Petrini, a former deputy chief less than a year from full retirement eligibility, has hit his fellow officers hard.

"This hurts every one of us," Capt. Susan Manheimer, night supervisor of the Police Department, said just hours after the captain's body was found around 5 p.m. Wednesday in his unmarked blue police sedan at the department's shooting range near Lake Merced.

"We're all one big family," added Manheimer.

When informed of the death, Police Lt. Al Benner immediately began offering grief counseling to other officers in the department. The counseling continued Thursday.

Police believe Petrini, who at age 49 was the captain in charge of personnel, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Although authorities would not reveal the contents of a note found in the car, one source said it was addressed to Petrini's wife and indicated he was sorry for what he was putting his family through.

His death officially has not been ruled a suicide, and the case remains under investigation. But Lt. David Robinson, head of the homicide unit, said inspectors had found no evidence leading to any conclusion other than suicide.

"Fallen hero'

Petrini had worked a full day at his office on the fifth floor of the Hall of Justice before driving out to the range. Although he worked at a desk job, like all other officers he was required to participate in routine shooting sessions to keep in practice.

Referring to the captain as "a fallen hero," Robinson said Petrini had given no warning and no indication to friends, family or colleagues that he was despondent and considering suicide.

From November 1992 until January 1996, Petrini served under then-Chief Tony Ribera as deputy chief of the department, overseeing the Patrol Division. Then, Ribera put Petrini in charge of many high-profile programs, making him one of the most powerful people in the department.

He was often at the center of many highly publicized - and sometimes controversial - incidents, including the mass slaying in the highrise at 101 California St. in July 1993.

"I trusted him absolutely," Ribera said Wednesday night. "He's a great cop. A great friend. A great person. I'm absolutely shocked. Tom was an absolutely brilliant guy - extremely conscientious."

No clue to suicide

Ribera met Petrini when they worked together on the graveyard shift at the Taraval Station in 1969.

Ribera, along with many others who knew Petrini, did not realize that he was suicidal and wish they could have helped him.

"It's tough to lose one of our own under these circumstances," Robinson said. "Our job is indeed stressful. What we tend to do is feel that we are strong - and we are strong - but we just have to realize that we need assistance sometimes."

When Fred Lau assumed the chief's job in January 1996, he wanted his own management team. Petrini reverted to his civil service rank of captain, suffering a pay cut of more than $20,000 annually.

Because Petrini had not reached age 50 before dropping back to captain, he could not retire as deputy chief and receive a full pension at the higher base rate.

Shortly after he was made a captain in charge of the Staff Services Division in early 1996, Petrini told a reporter he was disappointed but accepted his new situation.

Lau, after spending a restless night, said early Thursday: "It just numbs you. . . . Whenever we lose a member of our department, it's a tragedy. Tom was a respected member of the department, and we all share the loss with his family."

Petrini's is the second death of a San Francisco officer during the 15 months that Lau has been chief. Several months ago, Sgt. Alan Lim died unexpectedly of cancer.

A spokesman for the San Francisco medical examiner said he could think of only one other case of a San Francisco police officer committing suicide in the past 10 years.

"No death is easy," Lau said.

As deputy chief, Petrini represented the department in many tough situations.

After the 101 California St. rampage, he was criticized and second-guessed many times, but he always stood firm in his belief that the police response had been appropriate. A lawsuit against The City by the survivors of a woman killed there was dismissed last year.

Petrini was also the commander in charge at many controversial political protests. In September, a small claims court commissioner ordered Petrini and two other police officials to each pay about $18,000 in a suit brought by 50 people arrested in a June 26, 1995, march in support of death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal. The City has appealed that decision.

Petrini's death comes at a time when Police Department morale already was low because of two recent criminal trials involving four police officers accused of crimes.

"It hits home, and it's hard for the rank and file," said Chris Cunnie, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association. "It's a tough time, and I'm proud of the members of our department. . . . It drives it home that this is stressful job."

Petrini grew up in San Francisco. He attended elementary school at Holy Name and high school at St. Ignatius and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco.

He joined the department in December 1969 at age 22. In the official class photograph for the 113th Police Academy class, Petrini is sitting front and center, displaying the same big smile that many came to know over the next 27 years.

In his career he had held a number of important assignments before taking over as deputy chief. In the 1980s, Petrini commanded the vice squad. In 1989, he moved to the Southern Station, where he was the boss for two years. He was transferred to the Central Station in January 1991 and worked there until his promotion to deputy chief in 1992.

In 1990, while serving as commander of the Southern Station, Petrini earned the praise of gay activists for an innovative plan to stop illegal public sex in the South of Market area.

After receiving complaints from business owners about public sex in alleys, Petrini asked gay groups to distribute flyers warning people not to have sex instead of ordering cops to arrest offenders.

"This is a less confrontational way to handle it," Petrini said in February 1990.

Funeral arrangements were still pending. Petrini was a Marin County resident and leaves a wife and two children, both of whom are in college.&lt;